Method and system for custom selection and packaging of items to fulfill customer orders

Abstract

There is provided herein methods and systems for fulfilling customer orders by mail in a timely and cost-effective manner. Items to be included in the order are custom-selected based on characteristics such as weight and/or size to minimize postage cost. Customer orders too large to take advantage of discounted postal rates are parsed into multiple mailings, each mailing taking advantage of reduced postal rates, the multiple mailings together fulfilling the customer order. Customer order data processing may be remotely handled at any convenient location. Custom item selection and packaging is handled in a fast, highly-automated manner by a computer-controlled, assembly-line machine. The customer is automatically notified on each mailing if the order has been packaged and mailed in multiple mailings.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method operable on a computer for selecting and packaging items for mailing, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a customer order specifying a plurality of items for shipping by mail;    retrieving a selected characteristic for each of the plurality of items;    determining, based on the selected characteristic, if a single package containing the plurality of items will exceed a desired postal rate;    if the single package will not exceed the desired postal rate, packaging the plurality of items in a single package;    if the single package will exceed the desired postal rate, 
 dividing, based on the selected characteristic, the customer order into multiple sub-orders, each sub-order including a subset of the plurality of items selected so that the sub-order will be at the desired postal rate,  
 printing a mailer including a control indicia on the mailer,  
 automatically selecting, based on the control indicia, items for inclusion in each sub-order, and  
 packaging each of the sub-orders individually so that the customer order comprises multiple packages; and  
 mailing the single or multiple packages to the customer.  
   
     
     
         2 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the customer order is received by mail on a pre-printed form.  
     
     
         3 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the selected characteristic is chosen from the group comprising: item weight, item thickness and item size.  
     
     
         4 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the step of packaging each of the sub-orders comprises the steps of: 
 printing a mailer for each sub-order;  
 placing each mailer on an assembly line; and  
 placing each item in each sub-order on the associated mailer as the mailer traverses the assembly line.  
 
     
     
         5 . A method in accordance with  claim 4  wherein: 
 each mailer comprises a printed paper mailer;  
 each paper mailer includes, on a first side, a bar code indicative of the items to be packaged with the mailer and on a second side a customer address.  
 
     
     
         6 . A method in accordance with  claim 5  wherein the assembly line comprises: 
 a scanner for reading the bar code on each mailer;  
 a plurality of hoppers, each hopper containing a plurality of like items; and  
 a mechanism responsive to computer control for moving an item from a hopper onto a mailer.  
 
     
     
         7 . A method in accordance with  claim 6  and further including a customer message on the front of a mailer readable by a customer and indicating that a customer order has been fulfilled in multiple packages.  
     
     
         8 . A method in accordance with  claim 7  wherein the step of packaging each of the sub-orders includes shrink-wrapping each of the sub-orders in a plastic wrap so that the customer address and customer message are readable through the plastic wrap.  
     
     
         9 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the step of receiving a customer order is performed at a location geographically remote from the step of packaging each of the sub-orders.  
     
     
         10 . A system for selecting and packaging items for mailing, comprising: 
 a processor;    a memory connected to the processor, the memory storing data and instructions for controlling the operation of the processor;    the processor operative to perform the steps of    receiving a customer order specifying a plurality of items for shipping by mail;    retrieving, from the memory, a selected characteristic for each of the plurality of items;    determining, based on the selected characteristic, if a single package containing the plurality of items will exceed a desired postal rate;    if the single package will not exceed the desired postal rate, packaging the items in a single package;    if the single package will exceed the desired postal rate, 
 dividing, based on the selected characteristic, the customer order into multiple sub-orders, each sub-order including a subset of the plurality of items selected so that the sub-order will be at the desired postal rate,  
 printing a mailer including a control indicia on the mailer,  
 automatically selecting, based on the control indicia, items for inclusion in each sub-order, and  
 packaging each of the sub-orders individually so that the customer order comprises multiple packages; and  
 mailing the single or multiple packages to the customer.  
   
     
     
         11 . A system in accordance with  claim 10  wherein the customer order is received by mail on a pre-printed form.  
     
     
         12 . A system in accordance with  claim 10  wherein the selected characteristic is chosen from the group comprising: item weight, item thickness and item size.  
     
     
         13 . A system in accordance with  claim 10  further including an assembly line and wherein the step of packaging each of the sub-orders comprises the steps of: 
 printing a mailer for each sub-order;  
 placing each mailer on the assembly line; and  
 placing each item in each sub-order on the associated mailer as the mailer traverses the assembly line.  
 
     
     
         14 . A system in accordance with  claim 13  wherein: 
 each mailer comprises a printed paper mailer;  
 each paper mailer includes, on a first side, a bar code indicative of the items to be packaged with the mailer and on a second side a customer address.  
 
     
     
         15 . A system in accordance with  claim 14  wherein the assembly line comprises: 
 a scanner for reading the bar code on each mailer;  
 a plurality of hoppers, each hopper containing a plurality of like items; and  
 a mechanism responsive to computer control for moving an item from a hopper onto a mailer.  
 
     
     
         16 . A system in accordance with  claim 15  and further including a customer message on the front of a mailer readable by a customer and indicating that a customer order has been fulfilled in multiple packages.  
     
     
         17 . A system in accordance with  claim 16  wherein the step of packaging each of the sub-orders includes shrink-wrapping each of the sub-orders in a plastic wrap so that the customer address and customer message are readable through the plastic wrap.  
     
     
         18 . A system in accordance with  claim 10  wherein the step of receiving a customer order is performed at a location geographically remote from the step of packaging each of the sub-orders.  
     
     
         19 . A method for selecting and packaging items for mailing, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a customer order specifying a plurality of items for shipping by mail;    retrieving a selected characteristic for each of the plurality of items;    determining, based on the selected characteristic, if a single package containing the plurality of items will exceed a desired postal rate;    if the single package will not exceed the desired postal rate, packaging the items in a single package;    if the single package will exceed the desired postal rate, 
 dividing, based on the selected characteristic, the customer order into multiple sub-orders, each sub-order including a subset of the plurality of items selected so that the sub-order will be at the desired postal rate,  
 printing a mailer including a control indicia on the mailer,  
 automatically selecting, based on the control indicia, items for inclusion in each sub-order, and  
 packaging each of the sub-orders individually so that the customer order comprises multiple packages; and  
 mailing the single or multiple packages to the customer.  
   
     
     
         20 . A system for selecting and packaging items for mailing, comprising: 
 means for receiving a customer order specifying a plurality of items for shipping by mail;    means for retrieving a selected characteristic for each of the plurality of items;    means for determining, based on the selected characteristic, if a single package containing the plurality of items will exceed a desired postal rate;    means for, if the single package will not exceed the desired postal rate, packaging the items in a single package;    means for, if the single package will exceed the desired postal rate, 
 dividing, based on the selected characteristic, the customer order into multiple sub-orders, each sub-order including a subset of the plurality of items selected so that the sub-order will be at the desired postal rate,  
 printing a mailer including a control indicia on the mailer,  
 automatically selecting, based on the control indicia, items for inclusion in each sub-order, and  
 packaging each of the sub-orders individually so that the customer order comprises multiple packages; and  
   means for mailing the single or multiple packages to the customer.    
     
     
         21 . A method operable on a computer for selecting and packaging items for mailing, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a customer order specifying a plurality of items for shipping by mail;    determining, based on a selected characteristic for each of the plurality of items, if a single package containing the plurality of items will exceed a desired postal rate;    if the single package will not exceed the desired postal rate, packaging the plurality of items in a single package;    if the single package will exceed the desired postal rate, 
 dividing, based on the selected characteristic, the customer order into multiple sub-orders, each sub-order including a subset of the plurality of items selected so that the sub-order will be at the desired postal rate,  
 packaging each of the sub-orders individually so that the customer order comprises multiple packages; and  
 mailing the single or multiple packages to the customer.  
   
     
     
         22 . A method operable on a computer for selecting and packaging items for mailing, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a customer order specifying a plurality of items for shipping by mail;    determining, based on a selected characteristic or each of the plurality of items, if a single package containing the plurality of items will exceed a desired postal rate;    if the single package will not exceed the desired postal rate, printing a single mailer including a control indicia for operating a machine to place the plurality of items into a single package;    if the single package will exceed the desired postal rate, printing a plurality of mailers, each of the plurality of mailers including a control indicia for operating a machine to place a selected subset of the plurality of items into a package, the multiple packages associated with the plurality of mailers together fulfilling the customer order.